Typewriting machine



Dec. 29, 1942. w. F. HLMOND' 2,306,604-

TYPEWRITING MACHINE I Filed Dec. so, 1959 4 shes's-sheet 1 1 c; n (1g), 0, t?

A'n'oNEY A 4 Sheets--Sheerl 2 Filed'nec. 5 0, 19:59

ATTORNEY Dec. 29,v 1942. w. F, HELMOND TYPEWRITING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 F1ed.DeC. 30, 1939 Dec. 29, 1942.

Filed Deo. 3o, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 29, 1942 UNITED STATES` PATENT OFFICE TYPEWRITING MACHINE William F. Helmond, West. Hartford, Conn., as-

signor to Underwood VElliott Fisher Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 30, 1939, Serial No. 311,761

9 Claims. (Cl. `IS7- 74) This' invention relates to case-shifting mecha-l nisms for typewriting machines.

In its more specific aspects, the invention claimed herein is directed to the construction n and organization of means for guiding a case-5 shift member including preferably a type-bar segment, for movement to dierent case-positions.

Reference is hereby made to my prior liled application Serial No. 163,739 iiled September 14,51@

1937, and now Patent No. 2,226,931, issued December 31, 1940, which discloses some of the inventive features herein claimed.

In typewriting machinesit is extremely important to guide t'he case-shift member accurate- 115 ly and firmly Within the typewriter frame so that all type impressions will be uniform as to spacing and impression. This usually requires eX-V tremely accurate manufacture of all parts that pertain to the guiding structure of the case-shift-@ZO able element; and in most cases the attention of a highly skilled mechanic is required to adjust the mechanism for satisfactory performance. Also, the frame of the machine is sometimes slightly distorted in transportation, or parts be- 12,5

come worn after extensive usage, so that the above-mentioned fine adjustmentsneed to beY made again in the field. These conditions add to the cost of manufacture and maintenance of the machine.

Some of the major objects of the invention are:

To provide a case-shift guiding structure, the parts of which Vcost little to manufacture and which can bequickly and conveniently assembled by substantially unskilled labor, at extreme- 35 1y low cost, without the necessity of making fine adjustments; While providing for accurate vand rm guidance of the case-shift body.

To provide a case-shift guiding structure which never need be adjusted for ,reasons of@ wear, or slight distortion of the frame of thev case-shift guide structure.

Still other objects and advantages will be apparent from the detailed description of the in- The case-shift member is guided by a novel organization of devices or means having diiering functions, but all cooperating` to obtain a common result, namely, the accurate guidance of the case-shift member within the typewritertq on the frame and a guideway on the case-shift body. The said balls and guideways constitute universal bearing contacts vbetween the frame and the case-shift body'and guide the body at the locations of the `balls along definite linear paths. cerned, the case-shift' body can swing fore and aft as well as laterally.' Also, the comparative nearness of the lateral ends of the body to the typing line is not definitely controlled by the cooperation of the balls and the guideways. Farther from the typing line, the case-shift body is guided in a manner to restrain it only from swinging fore and aft about the balls under maintenance of some lateral freedom for said body at this location. A bail pivoted substantially parallel to the typing line has arms articulated to the case-shiftv body at laterally spaced points to thereby constrain the body to caseshift in unison at both of its lateral ends. The bail is articulated to the case-shift member at saidy laterally spaced points in such manner that a limited amount of misalignment of universal character is possible,

`At least one of the above guideways is preferably in the form of a spring-leaf that is mounted to resiliently press against'its associated rolling element or ball to thereby eliminate all play between the guideways and the associated roll- (|30 ing element at both ends of the case-shift member. It is therefore `unnecessary to provide for accurate adjustment and alignment of the guideways since the rolling elements will nevertheless be resiliently held in suspension by the action of said spring-leaf.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings: f

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the caseshift mechanism of applicants machine in normal, lower-case typing position,

Figure 2 is a plan view showing a portion of the guiding mechanisml for' the case-shiftable member,

Figure 3 is a side elevation of applicants machine showing the case+shift mechanism in lower-case position, the right-hand side-Wall of the machine having been omitted,

Figure 4 is a sectional-front View of applicants machine featuring the general organization of the component guiding devices for the case-shift member,

Figure 5 is a side View similar` to Figure 3 but illustrating the case-shift mechanism in uppercasetyping position,

en, each of which cooperates with a guideway Figure 6 shows an enlarged view of a lock to As lfar as theseball bearings are con- 1 .bythe said bent plate.

normally hold the case-shift member in lowercase position against downward movement,

Figure 7 is an enlarged View of a bent guideway plate, and

Figure 8 is a detail perspective view of a wedgeplate forming part of the guide structure of the case-shift member.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, type-bars l are confined in slots Il on a segment I2 to swing about a common, curved fulcrum wire I3 toward and away from a platen I4. The platen is rotatably mounted in a carriage frame l1, which is adapted to move one front-rail I8 and a rear rail I9. Both rails are mounted on the framework of the machine which is generally designated by the numeral 2l. The segment is secured by screws 22 to a case-shiftable member or body 23 having a cross-piece 25 and two laterally spaced legs 24. Each type-bar is operablel by a spring-returned typekey 21 provided in thekeybo'ard of the machine. The type-keys 21 are mounted upon the forward ends of key-levers 28 whichare pivoted on a common fulcrurnerod 23 behind and below the segment. Upright levers 3| are pivoted on a common fulcrum rod 34 and are operable by saidy typekeys 21- by short links 35.- Wire links 32 connect the upper ends of the levers 3| with'downwardly and rearwardly extending arms 33 of associated 'type-bars Ill. The fulcrum Ywire or rod 34 for said upright levers 3l is embedded in a cross-bar 36 of the framework 2l and the cross-bar 36 has slots 31 to laterally guide the levers. The type-bar operating mechanism as described is substantially disclosed in my Patent No. 2,072,878 issued March V9, 1937, Aand allows case-shift movement of said bars I8 relative to friction bearings 45 and 46 is therefore eliminated without the necessity of making difficult adjustments to any one of the guideways 48 and 49. The guideways 48 on the frame are provided upon heads 55 that form part of threaded studs 56. The studs extend laterally through bosses 51 on the machine frame and the heads 55 are tightly drawn against the bosses by means of nuts 58 on the studs, see Figures 2 and 4. The heads 55 bearing the guideways 48 have flat sides 59 whereby they are rotatively located with respect to the frame 2l in recesses 60 provided on the bosses 51. Under one of the heads 55, on the drawings the left-hand one, see Figures 1, 2 and 4, there is provided a wedge plate 6I which for convenience of assembly may have an open slot 62 for placing it over the stud 56. The balls 41 are conveniently introduced betweenthe guideways 48, 49 before the wedge plate 6I is inserted underneath the head 55. With the balls in position, the wedge is inserted to a position in which the guideways 49 will be so close 'togetherthat the space 53 under the right-hand plate 5l is almost eliminated. A nut 58 is thereafter tightened to secure the head 55'with the wedge 6I' underlying it. The guideways 48 have closed ends` to confine the balls, their lengths just sufiicient to permit unhindered case-shift movement. The upper ends of the plates or leaves 5l are confined between edges 64.to accurately locate and hold them located with respect to the case-shift member 23.

Each of the legs 24 of the case-shift member v23 supports a roller 65 at a distance farther from the levers 3|A without causing pivotal displacement of the bars.

The front ends of the type-bars I8 lie normally against a curved type-bar rest 38 that is carried by laterally spaced studs 39 extending forwardly from the front-side of the case-shift member 23. Each type-bar is provided with a lower-case type 4l and an upper-case type 42,

' and the segment is movable to either one of two case-positions so that the desiredcase-types will the typing line than the said bearings 45, 46 are located. These rollers-.are pivotally mounted on the legs .24 by screws 66 and are guided between front guide-faces 61 and rear-guide faces 68 provided respectively on a bracket 69 secured to a cross-bar 10 in the machine frame and the crossbar 10 itself. These guide-faces 61 and 68 lie in parallel planes and the position of the rollers 65 `and therefore also the position of the caseshift make imprints at the typing line 43 during the A actuation'of the type-bars.

The case-shift member 23 is of rm structure and is guided by anti-friction bearings and 43 at spaced locations equally distant from the I typing lin-343, along parallel lines extending substantially transverse to the typing line. Each bearing 'includes a rolling element in the form of a ball 41, a guideway 48 on the member 23, and a guideway 49 on the frame 2|. The guideways 48 face outwardly from the member 23 and are preferably formed in leaves or plates 5i of hardened steel which areianchored to the member 23 in cantilever` manner below the bearings 45,

.46 by bolts 58.' The upper portion of preferably only one of the leaves 5i, in the drawings the right-hand one, is bent outwardly from `its anchrage away from theV member 23, as seen at 53 in Figures 1 and 4, to bear with tension against the associated ball 41. The left-hand plate 5l is preferably straight and in direct contact with the side of the member 23 as seen at 54, and the guideway 48 thereon is therefore definitely aligned with the side o-f the member 23. Both balls 41 are suspended and maintained in frictiona-l rolll ing contact between vboth their associated guideways 48, 49 through the lateral pressure exerted member is not laterally restricted thereby.

Synchronized movement. of the case-shift member 23 at its ends is assured by the provision of a bail 12 having arms 13 articulated to the member 23 at laterally spaced points. The arms v13 of the bail are connected by a bail-shaft 14 which is pivoted upon pivot studs 1.5 at each lateral end thereof in the machine frame. See Figure l. The bail arms 13 extend forwardly from the shaft 14 and'have laterally extending pins 16 upon Which shoes 11 are pivotally carried. Each shoe 11 fits slidingly between a pair of parallel guide faces 18 on the salda member 23 that vface each other substantially in the direction of the case-shift movement. Ample lateral space is provided between the shoes 11 and the member 23 to allow the positioning of the case-shift member intermediate the bearings 45, 46 without lateral interference. The forward ends of the arms 13 lact through' said shoes 11, solely to compel both ends of the case-shift member 23 to move in unison, The shoes 11 provide a wide and accurate wearing surface to articulate the bail-arms 13 to the member 23.

The component parts providing for the guidance of the case-shift member need only be of reasonably accurate manufacture and will give perfect performance if so made. No difficult adjustments are required to faultlessly assembly the case-shift member upon the frame; VIt should be noted that the position of the case-shift member A11 play in the nti851 23 at each of its ends conforms readily with the `|08, the arms 80 are in a forward position indiposition of the bail 1.2.l This is so even if thebail 12 is' inaccurately' pivoted in thel machine or of inaccurate manufacture. In other words, the bearings 45, 46, the roller 65, and the guide-Ways B1 and B8 are not controlling as far as keeping the member 23 in horizontal alignment with the platen is concerned. The bail in no event interferes with the free movement ofthe member 23 nor do the bearingsI 401interfere with the free movement of the bail.

The caseshift member normally occupies the position seen in Figures 1, 3 and 4 and is locked or propped in this position by two laterally spaced upright arms 80, eachy one of which underlies a roller 8|. supported by one of the boltswhich serve to support the plates 5| on the case-shift member 23. The bolts have eccentric pins upon which the rollers are pivoted and the position of each roller 8| is adjustable toward or away from the arm underlying it, by turning its associated bolt 50 prior to tightening' the nut on the bolt. If properly adjusted, the rollers 8| will directly overlie a dwell 82 on the arms 80 when the caseshift member 23 isl in the normal case position 1' seen in Figures 1 and 4.

Overlying the plates 5| and secured byA the Abolts 50 are brackets 83, one at each member end. The brackets 83 have each a horizontally bent ear, to each of which a spring 84 is attached. The springs 84 are anchored in holes provided in washers that underlie the nuts 50. The springs 84 are suciently strong .to normally urge the member Both brackets -83 carry at their upper ends adjustable upper-case stops 86 and lower-case stops 81 which are engageable with the bosses 51. The lower-case stops 81 are so adjusted that the caseshift member 23 is normally rigidly conned against movement by the lower-case stops 81 and the dwells 82" of the arms 80. Both arms 80 are secured to a transverse rock-shaft 88 whichl is pivoted at its ends in the brackets |59.k A spring on the shaft 88 urges both arms to the normal position seen in Figure 1, in which position stopears 89 on the arms 80 abut the top edge of the cross-bar 10. A case-shift key lever 9| shown'in Figures 1, 3 and 5, carries at its forward `'end a case-shift key 90 and is pivoted at the rear upon the fulcrum rod 29. A spring 91, near the pivot 29, urges the shift-key lever to normal position seen in Figure 3. A finger 92 on the lever 9| overlies a pin 93 on an arm 94 that is pivotedon a frame-part of the machine. The arm 94 has at its rear end a vertical link connection 95 withV av leftwardly extending arm 96 of a lever 98 that is pivoted at 99 to a bracket |00 secured by screws |03 to the left leg 24 ofthe rcase-shift member 23. The lever 98 has an arm |0|- which extends rightwardly from the pivot 99 and carries a roller |02 which lies behind a cam face v| 04 provided on one of the arms 80. The left arm 96 of the' lever 98 normally rests against a stop-lug' |01 provided on the bracket |00 and the lever is free to rock counterclockwise about its pivot 99 until its arm 96 engages another stop-lug |08. As will be readily understood .from the drawings, an initial downward depression of the case-shift key 90 will through the parts 9| to 96 Vfirst rock the lever 98 from its position against the stop |01 to a position against the stop |08. During this movement of the lever 98, the member 23 remains stationary while arms 80 are rocked forwardly through the action of the roller |02 upon the cam |04. At the time the lever 98 abuts the stop ear Each roller 8| is preferably pivotally 23 upwardly toV lower-case position. A

fas

cated at l0 in Figure 6, and cease to lock the case-shift member 23 against movement. An extended motion of the caseshift key90 will thereafter pull the case-shift member 23 to lower-case position. It will be understood that the lever 98 during this motion moves bodily with the' member 23 because it is engagingv the stop-ear |08. During the downward'shift of the member 23, the arms 80 are idly rocked farther forward to the position indicatedvat 2, Figure 6, by the en'- gagement of the rollers 8| with the cam-faces on the arms. Upon release of the case-shift key90, the member 23 is'lifted by the springs 84,

land also through the action of said cam-faces on the rollers 8| to normal case-position.

vIn Figure 4., the case-shift member 23 is shown as having two spaced rearward arms H3; A rocker bail H4 is pivoted between the arms 1| I3, and aI universal bar ||5, individually operable by all the type-bars I0, is pivotally connected to the upper end of the rocker ||4 and H6, see Figure 3. The front end of the universal bar ||5 is slidy ingly mounted in the segment in a m-anner not shown but well known in the art. A substantially horizontalV link' ||1, articulated to the universal bar at a point coaxial withthe point H6, extends rearwardly and hasv a pivotal connection at ||8 with a carraige-feed escapement H9. The link ||1 provides a universal connection between the escapement I9 and the universal bar which is operative in eitherl case-position of themember 23. The link-connections are loose so that'the case-shift member and its supported parts, specically also the universal bar, need not be in accurate lateral alignment with the carriagefeed escapement. The carriage-feed escapement |9 controls ythe letter-feed movement of the-carriagev I1 through the medium of an escapement wheel |20, a pinion |2|" on said escapement wheel anda rack |22 on the carriage |1.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In aty'pewri'ting machine having a caseshiftable body; means 'for guiding said body for case" shifts, comprising upper guide-means at which said body is confined against horizontal 'lateralddisplacemena lower guide-means cooperating with the upper guide-means to constrain Isaid body in respect to fore-and-ait displacement, said' upper guide-means having swivel bearing rcontactsV with said bodyy allowing the latter 'to swing laterally about said contacts, and sa'idbody having the capacity of some lateral kfreedom at the lower guide-means, and means pivotally anchoredin a support in the machine having connections with saidbody at laterally spaced" locations to compel bothl oi its lateral ends to caseshift in unison.

2. In a typewriting machine having a caseshiftable body; means vforguiding said body for case shifts, comprisingupper guide-means at which said body is conned against horizontal lateral displacement, lowerguide-means cooperating' with the upper guide-means to constrainl saidbody in respect to fore-and-aft displacement, said upper guide-means having swivel bearing contacts with said body allowing thelatter to swing laterally about said contacts, and said body having the capacity of some lateral freedom with respect to the lower guide-means, and two laterally spaced members connected for substantially up-and-down movement in unison in a support in the machine and connected at laterally spaced locations to said body so that said body Ais not constrained laterally by said members or `the body having the capacity of some lateral freedom at the lower guide-means, wherefore the body is liable to tilt laterally, and means to constrain said body to case shift at both of its ends in substantial unison, including provision rendering the fore-and-aft and lateral position of said body to some extent independent of said last means.

4. In a typewriting machine having, a frame, a case-shiftable body carrying an arcuate array of type-bars, levers on said frame and means to operate said type-bars by said levers in different case-positions of the body; means for moving and guiding said body for case-shif-ts, including, laterally spaced upper guide-means, laterally spaced lower guide means, one of said spaced guidemeans comprising individual balls cooperating at two spaced locations with guideways provided oppositely on the frame and -said body, thereby confining the latter at these locations against horizontal lateral displacement while giving the body the capacity -to swivel about either of these locations, the other of said guide-means being constructed to allow some lateral freedom'for said case-shiftable body, both said guide-means conjointly providing for fore-and-aft restraint of said body, and means to compel uniform up-anddown case-shift movements of the said body at both of its Vlateral ends, said means being loosely articulated with said body to enable it to vary its position to a limited extent in relation -to said body.

5. In a typewriting machine having a caseshiftable body; means for guiding said body for case shifts, comprising upper guide-means at which said body is confined against horizontal lateral displacement, lower guide-means cooperating with the upper guide-means -to constrain said body in respect to fore-and-aft displacement, said upper guide-means having swivel bearing contacts with said body allowing the latter to swing laterally about said contacts, and said body having the capacity of some lateral freedom at the lower guide-means, a pivoted bail having laterally spaced arms, and means connecting said arms to said body to restrain it from swinging laterally and to compel it to move in unison at both of its lateral ends, said connecting means providing for some relative fore-and-aft and lateral freedom of position for the bail and said body.

6. In a typewriting machine having a frame and a case-shiftable body; means for moving and guiding the said body for case-shifts, including, upper-guide-means comprising two laterally spaced guideways on the ,frame facing laterally in opposite directions, an individual guidewayon said body laterally adjacent to each one of the said guideways on the frame, an individual ball between each adjacent pair of guideways and means for mounting and resiliently pressing at least one of the guideways laterally against its associated ball, wherefore resilient lateral pressure maintains both balls in rolling contact between the associated guideways and the body is conned against horizontal lateral displacement, lower guide-means cooperating with the upper guide-means to constrain said body in respect to fore-and-aft displacement, the said body having the capacity of some lateral freedom at the lower guide-means, and means articulated at spaced locations to the said body providing for caseshifting movement of both lateral ends of said body in unison.

7. In a typewriting machine, two relatively case-shiftable bodies, a member of resilient material springing in cantilever manner from a support on one of said bodies, two guide-ways, one being provided on said resilient member and the other one on the other one of said bodies, a rolling element between said guide-ways, said resilient member, by springing from its support, being effective to hold said rolling element frictionally engaged with both said guide-ways, and means cooperative between said one of said bodies and said 'member to give guiding support to the cantilever-.end of said member.

8. In a typewriting machine, a frame having widely spaced vparallel guide-ways facing in op- `posite directions, a type-element-supporting caseshiftable body, comprising a cross-member' having a leg at leastat one end, a leaf of resilient material supported in substantially parallel relation 'on said legand having a cantilever-end provided with a guide-way facing one ofv'said spaced guideways and springing toward it, another guide-way on the other end of said cross-member facing the other one of said spaced guide-ways, a rolling element between each pair of facing guide-ways, said cantilever-end, by springing toward one of the said spaced guide-ways, being instrumental to hold the rolling elements in tight rolling contact between the pairs of facing guide-ways, and guiding means associated with said leg to guide said body at a location distant from the said rolling elements.

9. In a typewriting machine, a frame having widely spaced parallel guide-ways facing in opposite directions, a type-element-supporting caseshiftable body comprising a cross-member having a leg at'each end, a leaf on each one of said legs, supported in substantially parallel relation thereto, each leaf having a guide-way facing one of said spaced guide-ways, a rolling element between each pair of facing guide-ways, at least one of said leaves having a cantilever-end whereon its guide-way is provided, the cantilever-end springing from said leg in a manner to hold said rolling elements in tight rolling contact between the pairs of facing guide-ways, land guiding means associated with said legs to guide said body at locations distant from said rolling elements.

WILLIAM F. HELMOND. 

